reporting institutional support of a critical transition ...language that welcomes all participants...

Reporting Institutional Support of a Critical Transition:

Senior Capstone Experiences DallinGeorgeYoung

(@DallinYoung)NationalResourceCenterforTheFirst-Year

ExperienceandStudentsinTransition

2017ACPAAnnualConventionColumbus,OHMarch28,2017

#ACPA1726– 29March2017

LandAcknowledgementWewouldliketoacknowledgethatthelandwearemeetingontodayhaslongservedasasiteof

meetingandexchangeamongstIndigenouspeoples,specificallytheShawnee,Wyandotte,

MiamiandDelawarenations.

ACPA-CollegeStudentEducatorsInternationalhonorsandrespectsthediverseIndigenous

peoplesconnectedtothisterritoryonwhichwegather.

Pleaseshareatthebeginning


OurInternationalField

• #ACPA17providesanopportunitytodiscussglobalconceptsinhigher,post-secondary,andtertiaryeducation. Pleaserememberthatnoteveryoneintheroomisfromthesamecountrynorworkswithinthesamesystemofhigherortertiaryeducation.Weinviteyoutouselanguagethatwelcomesallparticipantstotheconversation.


TheACPA17Experience

• Thankyouforattendingtoday’ssession,wherewehopeyouwill:

• Connect witheachother• Experience new,cuttingedgeideas• Invest inyourlong-termlearning• Reflect onwhatyouhaveexperienced• Transform byconvertingknowledgeintoaction

Goals of this Session• Haveanunderstandingofthenationalpictureofseniorcapstoneexperiences

• Haveanunderstandingofhowseniorcapstonescanmeetinstitutionalgoalsforseniors

• Developaperspectiveonhowbroadviewpointscaninformpracticeatinstitutions

Organization of this Session

• BackgroundonSeniorYear• Datafrom2016NationalSurveyofSeniorCapstoneExperiences

• Discussion

Seniors

Senioryearrepresentsthefinalopportunitytoservestudentstopreparethemtofacethe

demandsthatlieahead.

(Chickering &Schlossberg,1998;Cuseo,1998;Gardner,VanderVeer,&Associates,1998).

Studentsthinkaboutundergraduateexperiencein3phases:

• Entering• Middle• Exiting

Lane(2014)

Timing of Student Success Programs

First-Year

Orientation

Common Reading

Programs

First-Year Seminars

Student Engagement

Senior YearCapstone

Experiences

Job Fairs

Professional Licensing

Graduate and Professional

School Applications

Junior Year InternshipsStudy AbroadPeer Leadership

What are the opportunities for intervention in the Senior Year?

• Developmentally ready for higher-order thinking

• Integrate learning across curriculum and experiences

• Final determination and demonstration of competency

• Career preparation and placement• Others?

Whether they’re called “senior capstones” or some other name, these culminating experiences require students nearing the end of their college years to create a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they’ve learned. The project might be a research paper, a performance, a portfolio of “best work,” or an exhibit of artwork. Capstones are offered both in departmental programs and, increasingly, in general education as well.

Capstone Courses and Projects

Senior capstone experiences connected to gains in:

– student satisfaction and self-rated gains

– active and collaborative learning,

– student-faculty interaction,– critical thinking skills, – understanding of global

problems, – and acquisition of work-

related skillsBrownell&Swaner,2010,Kuh,2008; NSSE,2009

2016NATIONALSURVEYOFSENIORCAPSTONEEXPERIENCES

• Designed to identify senior-specific practices and characteristics of senior capstone experiences

• 2016 Administration (third; previous in 1999, 2011)– Online survey– 3,419 institutions were invited to participate– 383 responded (11.2% response rate)– 332 (93.2% of sample) currently offered at least one

capstone experience• 99.3% of 4-year institutions (n = 297/299)• 61.4% of 2-year colleges (n = 35/57)

National Survey of Senior Capstone Experiences

Institutional Attention to the Senior Year

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Institutional assessment

Employment or job-placement study

Participation in a national survey

Alumnae or alumni engagement

Graduation study

Percentage of Respondents

Top 10 Campus-wide Objectives for Seniors

Objective % Careerpreparation 71.1Employmentorjobplacement 62.6Graduation 61.3Graduateorprofessionalschoolenrollment 50.5Critical-thinkingskills 43.3Preparationforgraduateschool 39.7Writingskills 37.0Alumni/aesupport 36.4Leadershipdevelopment 35.1Studentsatisfaction 34.8

Types of Capstone Experiences

Capstonecourse Exam Artsperformanceorexhibition

Supervisedpractice Project

Types of Capstone Experiences• Capstone course

– Department or discipline-based

– General education focused (Campuswide capstones only)

– Other• Exam

– Comprehensive– Leading to certification or

professional licensure• Exhibition of performing,

musical, or visual arts

• Project– Senior integrative portfolio– Senior integrative or applied

learning project– Senior thesis or independent

research paper– Service-learning or

community-based learning project

• Supervised practice – Internship– Student teaching– Other

Where are Capstones Offered on Campus?

Yes, 98.7%

No, 1.3%

I don't know, 0.3%

AcademicDepartment

Yes, 51.5%

No, 37.5%I don't know,

11.4%

Co-curricularProgram

Yes, 37.8%

No , 57.9%

I don't know, 4.7%

Campus-wideCapstone

Capstone Courses• Mostpredominantformofcapstoneoncampus– Discipline-basedcoursetopacademic-basedcapstone

– Generaleducationcapstonecoursetopcampuswide capstone

Overall Capstone Experiences Offered in Academic Department

96.6

69.4

68.7

66.3

66.3

0 20 40 60 80 100

Discipline-based course

Thesis/independent research paper

Internship

Arts exhibition or performance

Student teaching


46.5

27.7

19.8

18.8

17.8

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Capstone course - Gen. ed. Focus

Thesis/ independent research paper

Other

Capstone course - other



Overall Capstone Experiences Offered Campus-wide

Primary Capstone Experiences Offered Campus-wide

28.7

13.9

13.9

13.9

6.9

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Capstone course - Gen. ed. focus



Other

Comprehensive exam

CapstoneCoursesreachedgreatestproportionof

studentsat42.6%ofinstitutions

Capstone CoursesDiscipline-BasedCapstonePredominantinAcademicDepartments:

– BiologicalSciences,Agriculture,andNaturalResources

– Business– Communications,Media,andPublicRelations

– Engineering– PhysicalSciences,Mathematics,andComputerScience

– SocialSciences

Most Common Capstone by Field of Study

FieldofStudy TypeofCapstoneArtsandHumanities Exhibitionofperforming,musical,orvisual

artsBiologicalSciences,Agriculture,andNaturalResources

Departmentordiscipline-basedcourse

PhysicalSciences,Mathematics,andComputerScience


SocialSciences Departmentordiscipline-basedcourseBusiness Departmentordiscipline-basedcourseCommunications,Media,andPublicRelations


Education Supervisedpractice- studentteachingEngineering Departmentordiscipline-basedcourseHealthProfessions CertificationorprofessionallicensureexamSocialServiceProfessions Internship

Capstone Courses• Discipline-basedcoursecloselyalignedwithArts&Humanities(82.4%)

• Morethanhalfofrespondentsuseddiscipline-basedcapstonecoursesinallbuttwoareasofstudy(socialservicesandengineering)

Most Common Field of Studyby Capstone Experience

TypeofCapstone FieldofStudyDepartmentordiscipline-basedcourse ArtsandHumanitiesCapstonecourse- other ArtsandHumanitiesExam- comprehensive PhysicalSciences,Mathematics,and

ComputerScienceCertificationorprofessionallicensureexam HealthProfessionsExhibitionofperforming,musical,orvisualarts

ArtsandHumanities

Seniorintegrativeportfolio ArtsandHumanitiesSeniorintegrativeorappliedlearningproject ArtsandHumanities,BusinessSeniorthesisorindependentresearchpaper ArtsandHumanitiesService-learningorcommunity-basedlearningproject

SocialSciences

Supervisedpractice- internship BusinessSupervisedpractice- studentteaching EducationSupervisedpractice- other HealthProfessions

Co-curricular Capstone Courses• Whentheyshowupinco-curricularprograms:– Honors– 47.2%(#2)– Pre-professionalorganizations– 22.2%(#3)

– Service-learning– 22.7%(#4)

Capstone Courses• 91.2%ofCampuswidecapstoneswithcoursescarryacademiccredit– Appliedas:

• Gen.ed:43.5%• Major:56.5%• Elective:4.8%

Educationally Effective Practices in Campuswide Capstone Course

64.7

61.8

58.8

52.9

50.0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Integrative learning

Communication of high expectations

Course is academically challenging

Quality interactions with instructor

Active learning

PercentageofRespondents

Connecting Capstone Type to Curriculum: Specificity

• 95.7% of institutions with arts performances or exhibitions offered to majors in arts and humanities– Second-most frequent major:

communications, media, and public relations (16.0%)

• 97.9% of institutions offering student teaching did so in education– Second largest group: Arts and humanities

(12.3%)

Connecting Capstone Type to Curriculum: Mass Appeal

• Internships– 2/3 reported offering to students in business– At least 1/3 offered to students in all other

areas of study but engineering and physical sciences

• Discipline-based courses– 82.4% offered in arts and humanities– At least ½ used them in all other areas but

social services and engineering

Campus-wide Capstones

46.5

27.7

19.8

18.8

17.8

0 10 20 30 40 50

Capstone course - Gen. ed. Focus


Other




Overall Capstone Experiences Offered Campus-wide

Primary Capstone Experiences Offered Campus-wide

28.7

13.9

13.9

13.9

6.9

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Capstone course - Gen. ed. focus



Other

Comprehensive exam

Primary Campus-wide Capstone Objectives

Objective %

Critical-thinkingskills 43.0Integrativeandappliedlearning 32.7Academicskills 19.6Careerpreparation(e.g.,internships,co-ops) 16.8Writingskills 16.8Analyticalorinquiry-basedskills 15.9Self-explorationorpersonaldevelopment 13.1Graduation 12.1Employmentorjobplacement 11.2Ethicalreasoning 11.2

Administration of Primary Campus-wide Capstone Experience

CampusUnit %Academicaffairs 40.6Academicdepartment(s) 42.7Careercenter 2.1

Collegeorschool(e.g.,collegeofliberalarts) 7.3Studentaffairs 3.1Other,pleasespecify 4.2

Yes, 57.3No,

25.0

I don't know, 17.7

Hascapstoneexperiencebeenassessed?

Assessment of Primary Campus-wide Capstone

MostFrequentlyNamedOutcomesMeasured:• Critical-thinkingskills• Academicskills• Writingskills• Analyticalorinquiry-basedskills

• Problem-solvingskills

Capstones in the Co-curriculum

Capstones in the Co-curriculum• Presentonslightlymorethanhalfofrespondingcampuses

• MostprevalentinHonorsprograms– Nootherco-curricularprogrampresentonmorethanhalfofcampuses

Overall Co-curricular Programs Offering Capstone Experiences

74.0

42.5

30.8

25.3

18.5

17.8

13.0

11.6

4.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Honors

Leadership

Service-learning or community engagement

Career center

Preprofessional organization

Student clubs and organizations

Student athletics

Other, please specify.

Greek life


Capstones in the Co-curriculum• Service-learningthecapstonemostfrequentinco-curricularactivities

Most Common Capstone by Co-curricular Program

Program TypeofCapstoneCareercenter Supervisedpractice- internshipHonors Seniorthesisorindependentresearch

paperGreeklife Service-learningorcommunity-based

learningprojectLeadership Service-learningorcommunity-based

learningprojectPreprofessional organization Supervisedpractice- internshipService-learningorcommunityengagement

Service-learningorcommunity-basedlearningproject

Studentathletics Service-learningorcommunity-basedlearningproject

Studentclubsandorganizations Service-learningorcommunity-basedlearningproject

Capstones in the Co-curriculum• GreekLife:

– Frequentlyusedservice-learningorcommunity-basedlearning

• Service-learning:– Nearly7in10usedservice-learningasseniorcapstone

Capstones in the Co-curriculum• HonorsPrograms:

– Frequentlyusedseniorthesesanddiscipline-basedcourses

– Usedmultipleformatsforculminatingexperiences

• CareerCenters:– Morethanhalfusedinternships

– Nootherco-curricularprogramusedinternshipsatmorethan15%ofinstitutions

Most Common Co-curricularProgram by Capstone Experience

TypeofCapstone Co-curricular ProgramDepartmentordiscipline-basedcourse HonorsCapstonecourse-other HonorsExam- comprehensive HonorsCertificationorprofessionallicensureexam Honors,Preprofessional organization

Exhibitionofperforming,musical,orvisualartsHonors

Seniorintegrativeportfolio Service-learningorcommunityengagementSeniorintegrativeorappliedlearningproject Service-learningorcommunityengagement

Seniorthesisorindependentresearchpaper Honors

Service-learningorcommunity-basedlearningproject

Service-learningorcommunityengagement

Supervisedpractice- internship CareercenterSupervisedpractice- studentteaching Service-learningorcommunityengagementSupervisedpractice- other Other,pleasespecify.

Discussion

Calls to integrate undergraduate experience

• Achieving and Sustaining Institutional Excellence in the First Year of College (Barefoot, et al., 2005)– Criterion 1: An intentional, comprehensive approach to

improving the first year – Description of Criterion 1 suggests an overall

integrated approach to student success • Boyer Commission - Reinventing Undergraduate

Education (1998)– First-year seminars and programs form bridge from HS

on one end to “more open and more independent world of the …university on the other”

Calls to integrate undergraduate experience

• Helping Sophomores Succeed (Gardner, et al., 2010)– A need to create a “seamless approach” to the

administration of support initiatives across the undergraduate experience

• Scott (2012) – Supporting Student Success in South Africa– Initiatives should be like the Janus face, looking

forward and backward simultaneously – Programmes supporting students in transition should

be a special but not discrete part of the educational process.

Vertical AlignmentWhat students learn in one lesson or course prepares them for the next lesson or course. Educational experiences are purposefully structured and logically sequenced so that students gain the knowledge and skills to progressively prepare them for more challenging, higher-level work.

Senior-Year

Experience

Junior Year (Major,

Internship, Leadership)

Sophomore-Year Initiatives

First-Year Experience

Top 10 Campus-wide Objectives for Seniors

Objective % Careerpreparation 71.1Employmentorjobplacement 62.6Graduation 61.3Graduateorprofessionalschoolenrollment 50.5Critical-thinkingskills 43.3Preparationforgraduateschool 39.7Writingskills 37.0Alumni/aesupport 36.4Leadershipdevelopment 35.1Studentsatisfaction 34.8

Discussion/Questions

Thank You!• [email protected]


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• Pleaseprovidefeedbackonthissessionbycompletingevaluationavailableonlineat:http://tinyurl.com/acpa17sessioneval

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